by, andy, bill, gavin, andrew, always a pleasure. see you next time. my name -- well you know my name. it means love in every language.

>> bret: in world headlines, russian prime minister vladimir putin is firing back at secretary of state hillary clinton over her criticism of allegedly fraudulent russian elections. putin says the u.s. has encouraged and funded protesters who have rallied the past three nights. nato said negotiations with russia over european missile shield remain deadlocked. russia wants the u.s. and the allies to sign a treaty to guarantee the system would not be a threat to russia. the u.s. refuses to discuss a treaty. but is willing to consider a nonbinding written agreement. assailants torched more than 20 tankers in pakistan as they waited at the closed border with afghanistan. the trucks were carrying fuel for u.s. and nato troops. pakistan closed the two border crossings to protest nato airstrikes that killed 24 pakistani soldiers last month. iran today pro viz

evidence it now possesses one of america's most secret military assets. jennifer griffin has thattory from the pentagon. >> the iranians rolled out what they say is the u.s. drone that went down over iran last week. a senior u.s. official tells fox drone on iranian state television the missing rq-170 sentnel that went down over iran thursday. the source tells fox all along the u.s. officials expected that the high-tech stealth aircraft landed intact and that is why the u.s. military in conjunction with the c.i.a. drew up three plans to retrieve or destroy it. the plans included sending in commandos or calling in an airstrike. fox news learned the plans went to the president's death, although the commander-in-chief rejected them for fear it would be viewed as an act of war against iran. news conference in washington today. the president pushed back on any notion that his

administration has been soft on iran and pursuit of the nuclear weapons. >> no options off the table means i'm considering all options. >> in meantime, the iranians won a big prize in terms of the stealth technology. >> well, i don't think it would have been dangerous to destroy it. we should have. we do not want to give up the technology. the russian and chinese probably already have speckors there so it will close a gap that we have ahead of the chinese and russian on valuable stealth technology an spence somewhere technology. >> the pentagon won't confirm and the c.i.a. is declining comment. >> when it comes to the reconnaissance mission we call it this for a reason. >> multiple say the images are real and the aircraft shown by the iranians is in consistent shape of what officials expect it to be in when it landed. >> the air force reportedly

dumped partial remains of 274 military personnel in a virginia landfill. the information was first reported in the washington post. next in the grapevine, can virtual war crimes get you in real trouble? and fact checking a kindler, gentleer michael moore. p@?ñmó

>> bret: now some fresh picks from the political grapevine. filmmaker michael moore said he would never question patriotism or love for country. the record may not support that. he said, "i would assume that they love this country and i assume that what they are doing is what they believe is best for the country." news busters notes in 2001, moore suggested president george w. bush was guilty of funding mass murder. in 2007, he spoke of his desire for a perp walk for president bush. and vice president dick cheney. saying both were guilty of war crimes and ought to be put on trial. in the wake of last year's earthquake in haiti, moore blame death camp on "republican paradise of no building codes and regulations." illinois republican congressman joe wall serb not letting his philosophical disagreements with president obama from keeping him to get in the holiday spirit. he attended a party for members of congress on monday at the white house after telling the president to "quit

lying" on youtube in july. boycotting the job speech this year leaving a writer from the hill to quip "perhaps the president should bring cookies to his next address to congress." walsh's office pointed out the tea party politician did not meet the president in the holiday event nor stand in line to get a photograph taken with him. finally, the international committee of the red cross is shooting down reports that it is investigating whether the geneva convention applies to crimes committed in video games. the "associated press" writes "gamers worried their actions on the virtual battlefield could land them at the hague war crimes tribunal can relax." the red cross says the war crimes can only be committed in real life. in the last week, there have been numerous articles with headlines like this. "600 million video gamers could be war criminals, red cross says." as expected, not true.

there are very real concerns about a group of workers in washington caught in the middle of a political tug of war. correspondent molly henneberg has their story. >> staff at the u.s. commission on international religious freedom have been told to start winding down operations. >> you literally have to close the offices. at the end of the day on the 16th if we are not funded. >> if congress does not approve $4 million in annual funding for the independent bipartisan commission. and we authorize the mission. advise the u.s. government on related policy positions. leon says dick durbin put a hold on funding for the commission. until congress set ace side money for something unrelated. durbin wants the u.s. government buy the little used state prison in thompson, illinois, and turn it in a federal lockup.

durbin ez it would bring jobs to the area. leo says the situation is frustrating. >> the commission is a hostage in this political fight. >> democratic sources strongly deny a connection between money for the commission and money for the prison. saying there is legislation moving that will keep the agency open. but that democrats will want some unspecified reform. a capitol hill watcher says symptoms is connected to the matter and it will get lawmakers attention. >> the number two democrat and has power. if he wants something people have to listen. >> republicans oppose funding because they considered sending gitmo detainees there. in washington, molly henneberg, fox news. >> a new white house strategy

document for filing homegrown terrorism lumps the issue with school and gang violence. sexual asought. it also only mentions islam once. and fails to mention radical islam. the chairman and top republican on the senate hom homeland security issued a statement with the administration's refusal to anotherfy violent islamist extremism as the enemy. law enforcement force told fox news student who killed kansas police officer at virginia tech apparently killed himself as well. it began with a traffic stop. the state police say the gunman was not in the car but walked in the parking lot and shot the officer. second body believed to be the shooter was discovered in that parking lot. virginia tech same school that 33 people died in 2007 when the deadliest mass shooting in modern he istoriry. former pep state assistant

football coach jerry sandusky is out of jail tonight. he posted $250,000 bail this morning after spending the night behind bars. he was arrested western following new allegation of child sexual abuse. late today, sandusky's wife said his accusers are lying about her husband. we will go over the latest polls and mitt romney's new strategy in the 2012 race. fox all-star join me after a break.

♪ ♪ >> bret: speaker is running as a reliable and trusted conservative leader. and what we're here to say with reluctance, but clearly is that he is not a reliable and trusted conservative leader, because he is not a reliable or trustworthy leader. >> i am going to stay positive. i'm going to talk about how to solve the country's problems. i have one opponent, barack

obama. that is how the campaign will continue. >> bret: romney campaign is clearly changing their strategy. as surrogates are now speaking openly attacking newt gingrich and his past. as far as the leadership of speaker of the house in the '90s. this is as new polls out tonight, the fox news poll, national poll has newt gingrich up as you see, double digits there. expanding his lead. over mitt romney. ron paul in third at 12%ment i know you see the rest of field, 5, 4, 2. other poll interesting questions, the true conservative, between gingrich, and romney. there you see the difference. gingrich at 53%. presidential is the candidate presidential? the answer there. romney, 53%. gingrich 43%. you see, of course, president obama at 57%. more interesting stats in these polls. we'll go over. bring in the panel. david druger, reporter for "roll call." a.b. stoddard for if hill.

and pete winker. pete, start with you. thought on the poll and status of where things are? >> the gingrich rocket continues to rise. the news continues to get better for him. he is extremely formidable. he is really the one candidate i think who poses a moral threat to mitt romney. i dent think any of the other candidates did. riding a wave and at the right time. he has disadvantages, one is organizational. romney's organization is much better. gingrich's is weak. and gingrich is an interesting fellow. he has greatest political skills of anybody. and greatest political weaknesses. the question is whether romney will be able to tap in the weaknesss. >> bret: about the aggressiveness we may see out of romney campaign, you saw former senator jim talent in congress enw then speaker gingrich. what about that tactic? how far the candidate, mitt romney can take it? >> i don't think he has a

choice. pete is right. newt gingrich is genuine and durable, because the polls are reflecting that the voters now believe that he is electable. that he will defeat barack obama in a general election. that is a difference. used to be romney was electable but nobody wanted him. >> bret: let me interrupt you there. we have two other polls from the new polls out tonight. vote for president. if the election were held today, president president obama gets 44% to mitt romney 42%. that is within the margin of error plus or minus three. newt gingrich is at 46% for president obama. 40% for newt gingrich. >> it's true in the fox poll that romney is more electable in this poll. there have been others that have been out recent day days tt show what i think is surprising results. that the primary voters now believe that newt gingrich is electable in a general election. i don't agree with that contention. i think it damaged the general election candidate and the republicans i spoke to in the

last five days are terrified. some of them make jokes about how democrats will win 49 states. this is a real, real problem. you see the disconnect between the grass roots who love newt gingrich are willing to overlook out of his problems. and, you know, the republicans who fear that this will be the end, who know newt gingrich the best. the problem with the polls even though in your poll it was fascinating that mitt romney is more honest, more presidential, less phony and more caring, but gingrich is a true conservative, strong leader and smart. the voters are willing to give him a pass on freddie mac on everything. to say we want to take the fight to obama. that is a huge problem for romney. the hour is late, as he pointed out. >> bret: are you hearing the same thing from republicans on the hill? >> i am. for the past couple of weeks i talked to the republicans on capitol hill. interviewed john thune after he jumped in and endorsed mitt romney, very splashy in iowa. he kept using the term over

and over again "electable." particularly in the senate where the republicans want to be in the majority in 2013. they're so in the minority. they look at newt gingrich at the top of the ticket. they are worried. there aren't people that are super excited about mitt romney >> bret: up on capitol hill. >> yes. for republicans on the hill who think about trying to wield power not just complain, they think they need the president in the white house and need a top of ticket to get them in the majority to do things. >> bret: isn't there one school of thought who says folks on capitol hill thinking behind one candidate somehow the outsider element, the grassroots element somehow helps newt gingrich? like anti-establishment. >> it probably helps him quite a bit. i would point out, though, that at the end of the day, the reason that you see outsider candidates, grass roots fuel candidates win they are good candidates. marco rubio. also a good candidate. not just a grassroots candidate.

i think what we are seeing from the primary electorate is not just a desire to beat obama but beat him up. newt is channeling that brilliantly. >> bret: we should point out newt gingrich hardly the outsider. he has been the ultimate insider for a long time. >> he is a failed leader who turned out by his party, because he failed in washington. because of erratic leadership style. they say he is a great visionary and he can't govern his way across the room. he is not an outsider. >> bret: let's look at new ads out, one from governor perry and the other from mitt romney. >> but don't want government mandated healthcare. yet, newt gingrich supports it. and mitt romney put it in the law in massachusetts. worse, barack obama forced it on the entire nation.

>> if i'm president to the united states, i'll be true to my family, my state and country and never apologize for the united states of america. >> bret: two clips of new ads out. the first by governor perry trying to make resurgence in iowa. >> the ads are fine but they're unimportant. what matters is the debate. the primary seasons, debates matter more than before. the couple of debates coming up, one of which that fox is host willing be important. the other matter is how romney handleles himself. he has to go after gingrich. he has to be tough. not enough for surrogates to do it. he has to carry it himself. he has to have propriety. gingrich will stay positive. he may think he will. but he has to punch back. this guy has thrown punches in his career.

>> what about anybody else in the list? do you see anybody breaking through, especially if the focus is newt gingrich and mitt romney? >> if i had to guess it would be ron paul who is has passionate supporters. right now in iowa, it looks like gingrich. there are several weeks to go. a lot can happen. gingrich is writing a big wave. >> bret: join us for the next debate as pete mentioned it happens thursday december 15, 9:00 p.m. eastern from souse city, iowa. be able to get instant analysis and participate in a live chat with the fox news contributors at foxnews.com/debate. next up, high profile witnesses. attorney general eric holder, jon corzine giving testimony

there have been statements so misleading that a letter had to be withdrawn. i think that some heads should roll. >> in response to an assertion that you made or hinted a nobody in the justice department lied. >> why was the letter withdrawn? >> because of the information in there that was inaccurate. the justice department letter of february. >> tell me what is the difference between lying and misleading congress? in this context. >> attorney general eric holder on capitol hill was tense at moments as the focus was operation fast and furious. the failed gun tracking program. many republicans saying they wanted him to, general holder to fire some of his staff. including lanny brewer for defeating congress. back with the panel. highlights from this hearing, your take?

>> a bad day for attorney general. when he is telling congress there is a difference between misleading and lying. there was misleading going on there. seems to have been lying, too. we have to find out more. the assistant attorney general knowingly misled the committee. that is quite serious. holder will have to do something about it. i think that eric holder is the weakest link in the obama chain of cabinet members. there was a threat to prosecute the c.i.a. agents. involved in the interrogation technique to pull back from that. a lot of trouble. obama doesn't want to go to the election defending eric holder. >> bret: do you agree with that? holder accused theepublicans of playing politics.

but it seems like fast and furious is not going away. >> it was fascinating to me. i thought that maybe he would under the pressure and the promise of continuing scrutin scrutiny, there will be more, he would maybe resign. in the weeks and months to talk about this. he made it clear he thinks it will blow over. he is struggling now. he is basically accusing them of this is a political stunt. he will be testifying before long. brewer could have more problems on his hands but the attorney general thinks he will get through this. i thought that was purr sizin sizing. >> in a weird way, the scandal and problem is overshadowed by the economy. and everybody's focus on jobs. that is why this isn't a bigger deal. where it can be down the line

and i agree that republicans will keep hammering this, hammering it until the end of the administration. whether it's next november or four years after. if the election is troublesome for president obama and you go beyond economic problem to a general government catch tensy, do you know what you are doing problem, that is when the attorney general job becomes in jeopardy. until that time, he likes the attorney general. he is an ally of him and he will allow him to work his way through this until it's overriding political problem. >> bret: the other hearing on capitol hill, jon corzine, former senator and governor of new jersey, the first senator to sit and answer questions in subpoena in 100 years about the collapse of m.f. global, the firm that declared

bankruptcy. a lot of money. $1.2 billion missing. take a listen. >> i remain deeply concerned about the impact that the unreconciled and frozen funds have on m.f. global customers and others. i simply do not know where the money is or why the accounts have not been reconciled to date. >> doesn't know where the money is, david. >> i'm thinking the voters of new jersey probably don't have buyer's remorse. politically this is one more hammer for the republicans. the things usually don't amount to much because the voters understand that democratic rundraisers big shotsbe and republican fundraisers are big shots sometimes go astray. it's not everybody's fault for being associated with them. this does get to how everybody looks at washington and a big mess. it adds to the perception. >> i agree with that. there is a staff for corzine

above all, also the political class. this drives the public crazy. senator, governor, revving door and wall street and enormous collapse. he doesn't know hundreds of millions or as much as $1.2 billion. i understand losing your wallet. but losing $1.2 billion, you should track some of that. >> bret: does it put a cramp in the administration's and the president's ability to tap in anger of occupy wall street? >> no. it bolsters the argument -- >> bret: though it's his ally and his friends? >> it doesn't matter. feeds perception to anxious public they're not only in the financial services industry not minding the store they're pillaging the store. people did not feel like the issue is resolved since 2008. they're not comforted by the passage of dodd frank. this is the exactly the thing, someone saying i do not know where the money is. i could lose $900 million or

$1.2 billion no problem. i don't know. this is unspeakable for people who are nervous where to put the money and that banks get a break no matter what they do. it bolsters that argument. >> bret: jon corzine will testify again on capit hill shortly. that is it for panel. stave tune for the politics we know a place where tossing and turning have given way to sleeping. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur.

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>> bret: he really wants donald trump's endorsement. the former speaker met with the donald's earlier this week. the question is how far will quick glitch go to get that endorsement? >> it's amazing how well he is doing and how it's really resonated with so many people. >> well, you know, it's fat sinating. trump has had an influence on gingrich. i saw hem today on another cable tv show. >> you would think the money we are spending and you could